Falling Down Stairs
by bookishlybabble
Summary: Hermione and Draco have always had a feeling of mutual dislike. An innocent encounter one night sets of a chain reaction.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione looked up at the clock. 10:25. Darn, she thought, she had read through dinner. She grabbed the large stack of books that she had selected, and exited the library, staggering slightly under the weight of her books. She was walking down the stairs slowly and clumsily, trying to keep her massive pile of books balanced. Suddenly she missed a step, the first book fell, then the second, and then the whole pile gave way, taking Hermione down with it. She braced herself, waiting for her body to hit the cold stone floor. But it didn't, instead she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her. She gasped in surprise and relief. Eyes still closed, she became aware of the same pair of strong arms lifting her to her feet. She opened her eyes and found herself looking up at the smirking face of Draco Malfoy.

He needed to clear his head. The astronomy homework was really getting to him. He set his homework down and slipped out of the dormitory. Why on earth do people choose to spend their entire lives looking stars through a telescope, Draco thought as he rounded a corner, it seemed so dull, so- all of a sudden a large flurry of books and brown hair came crashing down. He instinctively grabbed the brunette girl around the waist to keep her from hitting the ground. He helped her onto her feet and saw that the girl was none other than Hermione Granger. Of course, she wasn't at dinner so she must have been in the library, only Hermione would skip a meal to read. She was a notorious know-it-all, and had been part of the Famous Trio. She was the only one to come back to school and finish her education as a NEWT student. They had always a mutual dislike for one another but recently there had been a shift, he no longer loathed her, he didn't ignore her, or treat her poorly. Draco found himself thinking of her warm brown eyes, the way her eyebrows scrunched together when she was reading, and the kind, loving expression that came to her face when she smiled, oh and her smile. That was one heck of a smile, Draco thought to himself on his way back to his dormitory after running into Hermione. Little did Draco know that he was slowly, painfully, falling for Hermione Granger.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hermione**

She woke up to see light pouring in through a crack in the curtains of the girls dormitory. She sat up rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She looked at the alarm clock on her tiny nightstand it read 8:20. Oh my god! How could she have let this happen, she, Hermione Jean Granger, did not oversleep. She threw on her uniform and hastily made her way down to breakfast. She slid into the bench right next to fellow Gryffindor Ginny Weasley.

"Well glad you could finally join us!" Ginny teased poking her friend in the arm."What happened, did you oversleep?!" Ginny said in mock horror. Hermione scowled, attempting to secretly test her breath.

"It happens." Hermione said dismissively, acting as if it had happened before.

Ginny scoffed."No, not to you it doesn't, this is what, the first time in your entire life that you have overslept?" Hermione said nothing, staring intently down at her toast.

"So, what were you doing last night that tired you out so much?" Ginny said raising her eyebrows in a teasing fashion.

"Did anything come in the post for me?" Hermione said, quickly changing the subject.

"No, why were you expecting something?" Ginny asked taking a sip from her pumpkin juice.

"Yeah, I was expecting something from Ron; today's our anniversary of when we started dating, and I just thought… "Hermione muttered, trailing off at the end.

"Hermione, are you telling me that so far my brother has forgotten your birthday and your anniversary." Ginny said, her eyes narrowing.

"Ginny its fine really, I've never been one for petty romantic gestures anyway." Hermione said, shrugging it off. But she was disappointed. She hadn't seen him in a while, they were both very busy, him being an international quidditch player, and her being at Hogwarts. Harry hadn't mentioned him at all in the owls he has been sending her. She missed him and wanted to hear from him badly, but he hadn't returned any of her owls in the past few weeks. He's just busy she told herself.

"So... what _were_ you doing last night?" Ginny asked again, smirking.

"Ginny…" Hermione sighed turning to look at her.

"Fine I'll drop it for now, but you are so not of the hook." Ginny said, turning back to her pancakes. Hermione sipped her pumpkin juice subconsciously, what had she been doing last night? Ah, reading, she had been reading in the library.

"Ooooh, hey Hermione, looks like you got yourself an admirer!" Ginny said giggling.

Hermione looked up and her eyes immediately made contact with none other than Draco Malfoy. Hermione flushed and quickly turned away, just then remembering exactly what had gone down last night. She quickly swiped her books and muttered a goodbye to Ginny and exited the Great hall.

**Draco**

She had been embarrassed. They had made eye contact for a heartbeat, just a single heartbeat. Then she had flushed and turned away, swiftly grabbing her bag and exiting the hall, refusing to look up. She had been embarrassed. She had never been embarrassed to simply make eye contact before, why was she now? Draco thought to himself, as he walked to his next class. He was so used to girls flinging themselves at him, but she was different, she wasn't the type for ditzy flirtations, and he liked that. Wait, he liked that. He smiled to himself, yeah he liked that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter** **3:**

**A/N: I wish I was J.K. Rowling but I am not, and I don't own any of the characters!**

**Draco **

Draco climbed the steps of the astronomy tower, deep in thought. He was startled back to his senses by a screech. It came from Professor Sinistra. Her high pitched voice, often compared to the cries of a peacock, was now blabbering on about how disappointed she was to have one of her eighth year students late. He took no notice in this, though it was directed to him. Instead he delved back into his thoughts.

"Mr. Malfoy?", he heard coming from what seemed to be right above him. The voice repeated itself. "Mr. Malfoy?" Looking up, Draco realized that he had drifted off to sleep. "Yes?" He replied, straightening his back.

"Mr. Malfoy, I believe you were asked to provide your thoughts on the approaching eclipse." She stated.

"Erm, well- I suppose it will make it dark, won't it?" The majority of the class had difficulty concealing their snickers. Draco rolled his eyes as the class broke out into laughter.

"Alright, class dismissed. Two feet of parchment on the properties of Saturn's rings by tomorrow." Draco groaned inwardly, gathering his books and exiting the astronomy tower with the rest of his classmates.

**Ron**

He didn't know what he was doing. Ron had been hiding behind that tree for an hour contemplating what he was going to say. Ron traveled to Hogwarts with Harry just for this moment with Hermione. He had planned it out for months. The second he saw Hermione sit down beneath the tree Ron knew he needed to take action, quick. Ron popped out behind the tree and tried to talk to her like a normal wizard would do. But when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, he knew that this wouldn't be a normal meeting. When her lips reached for his, Ron couldn't reach for hers, after what her was about to tell her. Ron pulled his neck away, kissing her on the cheek. He took her hand. He realized that there was a hamartia in his plan and inwardly cringed, he should've taken it off, Ron didn't want Hermione to notice his - "New watch?" She asked, he grimaced.

**Hermione**

Hermione was still in awe of her new found liking for Draco. She needed to get a breath of fresh air after a stressful day of studying for her transfiguration test. She found herself in the secret garden near the rear hall. She snuck through the garden until she found a shady spot underneath a large oak-like tree that produced the sweetest tasting fruit she had ever ate. There were two songbirds perched on the highest branches singing a joyful tune. She let herself melt into the curved and twisted trunk.

"Hey pumpkin juice. How's it going?'"a voice said from behind her, she jumped as Ron let out a snort of laughter. He looked good. He wore and nice pressed shirt, his hair gelled, and he smelled really good. She stood up and wrapped her arm around the redhead's neck, and stood on her tip-toes to plant a kiss on his mouth. Her lips were about to reach his, but suddenly he jerked his head in an odd way, planting the kiss on her cheek instead of her mouth. Confused, Hermione looked up at Ron but his face allowed no display to show that something was wrong. She hesitated before brushing it off.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, taking Rons hand.

"Well, Harry and I decided to pay a visit to our girls. Walk with me Hermione." He said grabbing her hand and swinging it to an unheard beat.

"New watch?" Hermione asked, noticing the new shiny gold watch on Ron's wrist.

"Yeah." He responded bluntly. She waited for him to elaborate but he didn't.

"Hermione, we need to talk." Ron stopped walking and faced her.

"Okay, about what?" She said as breezily as she could, she knew Ron, and she knew something was wrong.

"Hermione, I can't do this anymore. I never get to see you, and I don't know about you but I think that this is just too hard to have a relationship when I only see you every two months." He said running his hands through his hair, eyes cold. Hermione bit her lip.

"Ron," She started, her voice a low whisper, "are you breaking up with me?" A pained look crossed Rons face.

"Yes." She gasped, she hadn't seen this coming. They owled each other every day, the talked by floo powder at least once a week, and he often joined her in Hogsmeade, and they seemed perfect, so why… ? Then it hit her.

"Ron," Her voice a deadly whisper "How long?"

"What?" Ron said, his face confused.

"How long have you been seeing her?" Her voice rising slightly but maintaining its dangerous edge. Ron gulped, and hung his head.

"Six months. I've been seeing her for six months." He said, wringing his hands in shame.

"Who is she, what's her name?" Hermione asked, her voice wavering slightly. _Keep your cool Hermione, don't show weakness._

"Her name is Iris Heneslly, she's a-"

"I know who she is," Hermione's shoulders sagged. She could never compete with Iris. Iris Heneslly was an international super model, and she was beautiful; long blond hair, big blue eyes, plump lips, and perfect skin and body.

"Hermione, how, how did you know that I was, um seeing, um… yeah? I didn't tell anyone except for Harry… bloody hell, I am going to kill him!" Ron yelled throwing his head back, and running his hands through his gelled hair. Hermione shook her head.

"No Ron Harry-Harry didn't tell me. I-I just figured it out on my own." Hermione told the ginger. "The way you were dressed, the fact that you wouldn't kiss me, and you would never buy yourself a new watch, much less an expensive one, if your old watch still functioned fine, you're simply too lazy to care." Ron nodded, still looking slightly shocked that Hermione had figured out his secret.

"Hermione I'm so-" Rons speech was cut of by a sickening crunch as her fist met Rons nose.

"BLOODY HELL!" Ron yelled staggering backwards, blood streaming from his nose. _Ha, take that you two faced- _She felt the tears pooling up in her eyes. Hermione grabbed her books, not wanting to cry in front of Ron, and ran back up to the castle, leaving a swearing Ron behind. Only once she was out of Rons sight did she let her tears fall.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the Ron POV! I love all you guys for reading my stuff! Thanks, and please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

**Draco**

He had seen the whole thing. He saw her run back up the lawn to the castle. Hating Weasley for making her cry, and his heart swelled with joy when he saw her punch him hard in the nose. He made his way quickly down from the astronomy tower. He saw her disappear into the Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, silent tears streaming down her face. He followed a few moments after the door had swung shut. After a few minutes, he entered the bathroom, ignoring the fact that it was a girls toilet. She was huddled in a corner, sobbing her heart out. When she saw him she turned away and wiped her eyes.

"What do you want Malfoy?" She sniffled. I walked towards her, and sat down next to her. She looked at me in surprise.

"What are you doing?" She asked, eyeing me suspiciously. _What _am _I doing? _I asked myself. I shook my head. "I'm helping a poor unfortunate soul." She looked at me reproachfully.

"You'll never get over your arrogance, will you Malfoy?"

I made my signature sad puppy face, trying to make her do anything but glare at me. She rewarded my efforts with a small smile, before fading back into a frown.

We settled into an awkward silence, before I spoke up.

"I saw what happened with Weasley." I said in a small voice.

She stares off into the distance. She's spacing out to try to get over the pain, and it's so un-Hermione, I mean, un-Grangerish, that I almost laugh.

She hears my restrained giggles and glares. Or at least, tries to glare. Her eyes are full of tears, and she looks so utterly miserable, that, spur of the moment, I do what Malfoys do worst.

I give her a hug.

Or, at least, I attempt to give her a hug. She swats at me violently, throwing punches at my chest.

She obviously is just trying to release her stress, so I keep hugging. It's not until I hear her make a choking noise that I release her.

She's turning purple.

I grab her and rush to the hospital wing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I wish I was J.K. Rowling, but I am not. I don't own any characters or locations, only the plot.**

Hermione woke up with a strange, rough feeling on her neck. Sitting up and looking around, all she could see was white. White walls, white curtains, white beds. _The Hospital  
_

_Wing._ She flopped back down onto her pillow and sighed. She had barely closed her eyes for a minute when she was awakened by a gentle shaking. "Miss Granger, it seems

you were suffocated by some unknown force. Can you recall anything about what happened?" Madam Pomfrey said. The memories returned to Hermione in a rush."Yes!" cried

Hermione. "It was Malfoy, bloody git, he nearly killed me." "That may be so, but it was Mr. Malfoy who brought you here, saving your life." Hermione looked up, lost. Madam

Pomfrey sighed and gave Hermione a clear liquid to drink. Though it looked like water, it was tart like vinegar but, soon enough, Hermione found herself falling into a deep

sleep.

When Hermione woke again, the lights were off. She groaned, her neck feeling inflamed, almost like a big balloon. As she rolled over on her bed, she glimpsed something

almost pure white. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she saw two silver orbs , staring at her. She gasped as she realized those two eyes belonged to Draco Malfoy. "What are

you doing here!" Hermione screeched, jumping out of her bed, even though her neck felt like it was on fire. She started backing away from Draco, towards the other end of the

wing. Draco, realizing that Hermione had woken up, had jumped up off the bed he had been sitting on and began to walk towards Hermione. "Granger-I'm sorry, I just-"Draco

was cut off by Hermione.

"Get AWAY from me, you prat!" Draco felt his face get red with embarrassment. "Hermione, please forgive me. It's not what-" he pleaded.

"You STRANGLED me. And now you're coming back for forgiveness. What kind of a person ARE you?" Hermione yelled, out of breath.

"Herm- I mean Granger, I-I was trying to give you a, erm, hug." As he said this, he felt his face burn, and he hoped Hermione hadn't noticed.

By this point, Hermione was furious. "Well, Ferret. As far as I know hugs do NOT include strangling people! So tell me then, Malfoy, _why _did you want to choke me?"

"I told you already, I was giving you a hug. Weaselbee had just broken up with you, and I pitied you, so I gave you a hug." Draco cringed, _You just had_ _to say that. _He mentally

smacked himself. Almost as soon as the words had escaped his lips, Hermione broke down, tears welling up in her eyes. Her back hit the wall, and she sank down into a little

ball, weeping into her knees. Draco walked over and sat down next to her. This time, instead of hugging her, he tried holding her hand, and she let him. He gripped her palm in

his, and it sent tingles up his arm. They sat there for a moment, until Hermione straightened up a little and, sniffling, gently wiped her tears away. Hermione rested her tired

head on Draco's shoulder, and Draco laid his head on hers, resting gently. Soon, he felt her breathing slow to a soft, steady pace, and glancing at her, realized she had fallen

asleep. Draco felt the world around him slowly grow darker, and, with a sleepy sigh, he tumbled into the abyss of dreams.

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I love you guys! **


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione woke to the sound of whispers around her. As her eyes blinked open she noticed people watching her. Noticing her hand felt heavier than usual, she looked over. As she jumped up in shock, the memories of the day before flooded into her mind. _How could I have fallen asleep? And with Malfoy of all people? Why would I do that? _Hermione scolded herself. _Ron… _she realized. She ran out of the room before Malfoy had fully woken up, to escape the whispers that surrounded her.

Draco woke up to Madam Pomfrey, but when he looked to his right, Hermione was no longer there. As he slowly stood up, stretching, he noticed a crowd of people staring at him. He walked out of the hospital wing, with his head held high, though he had no clue as to why he felt the need show these undignified people his evident superiority.

Hermione had made it back to her room mostly without having been seen, save for by the members of the original crowd. By the time she made it back, however, her face was red, and tears began leaking out of her eyes, and, try as she might, she couldn't contain them. She flopped onto her bed with a loud sigh and either didn't notice or didn't care that her _beloved _roommates, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil had been watching her every move closely.

"What's wrong?" Lavender asked, while applying on her third coat of mascara. Hermione didn't answer, she simply crawled into bed, pulled out a book, and began to write her Transfiguration essay, before slipping into a nap.

When she woke a few hours later, she had barely managed to sit up when she was pounced on by Lavender and Parvati. "Hermione! Why didn't you tell us that you and Malfoy are a couple?" Lavender asked, seeming to be in complete, though relatively good-natured, shock. Hermione groaned. Her eyes were dry, her lips were parched, and she had a massive headache. "I didn't tell you, because there's absolutely nothing happening between me and the ferret!" She practically screamed, though it came out as more of a screech due to her dry throat.. Lavender and Parvati look taken aback, but soon recovered by talking about the dance coming up later that month. "... and I'll be wearing my Madame Ziva dress, you know the pink, swishy one…" "Oh, that one's my favorite!" Hermione drowned out the chatter, and stumbled into the bathroom. Taking a large gulp of water, a furiously rubbing her face with a washcloth, trying to scrub the events of the day off. After exiting, she yanked a book off of the shelf, and soon found herself immersed in _Hogwarts a History_. The familiar, comforting smell and feel of the pages lulled her into a sense of security. Before she realized what was happening, Hermione's chin was rested against her chest, and the book, which had fallen from her hands, was resting open on her lap.

Hermione suddenly found herself running. She didn't know where, or what from, all she knew was that she had to keep running, keep running to escape _it. _She looked behind her, trying to make out what was chasing her. It seemed to be a large creature, definitely not human, but it didn't seem to be any type of beast she had seen or heard of before. All of a sudden, the ground disappeared from underneath her feet. Hermione realized that she had tumbled off of some type of cliff. She was falling, and falling fast. The ground seemed to be getting closer and closer. She grasped for her wand, which she always kept in her back pocket, only to find that it wasn't there. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound was able to exit her. She had somehow flipped over and was facing down. The ground was only a yard away. A foot. She put her hands out to brace herself from the fall, knowing that it wouldn't do much to break her landing. And then she landed. The side of her arm hit the hard, rocky ground first, and the rest of her body followed. It felt as if she'd broken every bone in her body. She blinked, trying to figure out where she was, but it was useless, she didn't recognize an inch of this terrain. Racking her mind for any details about where she could be, all while fighting to breathe, her breaths becoming shallower and shallower as the seconds passed. Suddenly, a tall, lean figure emerged from the fog surrounding her. He looked awfully familiar, though Hermione couldn't quite remember why. The figure reached one of his hands out toward her. Hermione tried to move, to reach out, only to realize that she couldn't and was, in fact, rooted to the spot. As the figure got closer and closer, Hermione's breathing quickened and her heart beat became faster and faster. The figure's cold hand brushed Hermione's arm, and she shivered uncontrollably. Suddenly, the figure grabbed Hermione's arm in a rough action and squeezed tightly. She shut her eyes from the pain, and suddenly everything around her disappeared.


End file.
